"We can confirm that Microsoft made the decision to part ways with Danielle Tiedt, effective immediately. We don't comment on internal personnel issues, but we can say that the decision to part ways was not related to her interest in joining YouTube." [emphasis ours].

Say what?

Read that second sentence again. A spokesperson said that Microsoft doesn't comment on personnel issues. Then he went and commented on a personnel issue -- and implied that Microsoft fired her before she quit.

We have no idea if this is true or not. We asked a couple people. No one would comment.

But even if it is, why did Microsoft have to say so?

The fact that Microsoft would offer this kind of slap on her way out the door shows two things: